Platen mechanism for printing machines



.Jan. 11, 1938. c. J. HUEBER -PLATEN'MECHANISM FOR PRJNTING MACHINESFiied Feb. l2, `1936 -5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY S .Y

Jan. 11, 1938. c, J, HUEBER l A2,104,863

PLATEN MECHAN'ISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES l Filed Feb. 12, 1936 5Sheets-Sheet 2 LLL @6 .My

. ATTORNEY Jans 11, 1938- c. J. HUEBER l 2,104,863

PLATEN MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 12, 193e 3sheets-sheet s' [.f INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS issued July '7,.,1914, to my assignee, Addresso- Y PatentedJan. l1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE PLATEN MECHANISM FOB.PRINTING MACHINE ration of Delaware Appiicatmnrebrury 12, 193s, semi No.63,515 2z claims. (C1. 10i- 274) This invention pertains to a printingmachine. and especially toan improved platen or impression mechanismtherefor. More particularly, my invention is concerned with theprovision of an improved roller-platen mechanism for use in printingmachines, such as address printing machines. These, therefore, are thegeneral bjects of the present invention.

Generally in the past, series printing machines, such as addressprinting machines, have been provided with either one of two types ofplatens. One of these types is known as stamper or ilat platen, and theother type is known as a roller platen. The stamper platens are mountedto be brought into contact with the entirearea of theprinting member, atone time, by a blow or stamping action.

A roller type of platen, printing by rollingraction a line at a time,'iscapable of producing a clearer copy than the stamper platen, and has thefurther advantage that the impression more closely resembles atypewritten impression. The

present invention is concerned with improve-- ments in rollerplatens andthe means for operating the same.

The usual roller type of platen comprises a roller having a rubber orsimilar impression' making surface and is mounted at one end oi' anoverhanging frame arm, the other end of such arm being pivoted to themain frame of 'the printing machine.. Such a frame arm is swung aboutits pivot until the roller coacts with a work sheet -superimposed abovea suitable printing device, whereupon the roller is rolled across thework. An example of such a roller platen is shown in Patent #1,102,396,of Joseph S. Duncan,

graph Company. The present invention may be considered an improvement onthe construction shown in'that patent. Y Roller platens have heretoforerequired more or less complicated operating mechanisms, as is evidencedby the patent abovementioned. Likewise, clarity and evenness of theimpression have been impaired, both by the wear at the frame arm pivots,and by the warping of the arm. -Cumbersome operating mechanisms havealso been required to swing the frame arm, which itself has been madeunwieldy, to minimize the'exing of the arm. Such operatingmechanisms-have also requiredcomparatively large and expensive powerunits.`

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rollerplaten and a simple operating mechanism therefor, which may be supportedon a stationary frame arm and which will make accurate impressions from4various printing members, regardless o! the arrangement or number ofprinting characters on such printing member.

Other objects of the invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description, reference being had to the preferredembodiment ofthe invention, illustrated by the accompanying drawings. The essentialand novel features of the invention will be summarized in the l claims,

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a. comparatively smallVand compact printing machine, having a platen, a platen-supporting, anda platen-operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, certain parts of the machine being broken away to moreclearly illustrate the internal construction thereof; Fig.' 2 is a.transverse, vertical section, on an enlarged scale, through the platenand its Supporting mechanism, theV plane of the section being indicatedby the lines 2-2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a centrally located verticalsection through the platen, as indicated by the line 3 3 on Fig. 2,

the platen being in engagement. with the work; Fig. 4 is a sectionalview, taken in the plane indicated by the line 4 4 on Fig. 2,illustrating. however, the platen inra. raised position, out of contactwith the work sheet; Fig. 5 is a horizon- -tal section, through theplaten-supporting mechanism, illustrating the platen in plan view,certain parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate th'e internalconstruction thereof, the plane of the section being indicated by thelines S-Spn Fig. 2; Fig'. 6 is a substantially horizontal detail. beinga section taken in the plane indicated by the line 6 6 on Fig. 4:1182 7is a sectional detail, the plane of the section being indicated by theline .Y1-'I on Fig. 5; Eg.8 is a detail, similar toFig. "I, butillustratlngthe partsin the position they occupy when 'the platen israised out of contact with the worksheet, namely, I

in its uppermost position.

Ihave chosentoilllstratemypreferredplaten,` together with its supportingand operating mechanismiin connection with a. printing machine of thetype shown and described in my prior application, Serial No. 62,416,iiled February 5, 1936,

and assigned vto my assignee. Addressograph Company. Y

. Referring now to Hg. l, I indicate at Il, the main frame of anaddressing machine, provided with a horizontal guideway I I, alongwhich. printing devices', such as'address plates D, may be.

of a. stack indicated at I2 to a. supporting bed or stack indicated atI8'. A suitable conveyor, such as a pair` of reciprocating feed bars I4,is provided to progress the printing devices. Suitable mechanism,suchas,for instance, an eccentric I5, driven by a motor M and connected bysuit# able links and levers I6, with the feed`bars, may

be used to periodically reciprocate such bars.-

When the feed bars I4 move to the right (Fig. 1) suitable abutments I9thereon engage the bottommost plate in the stack I2 and shove it alongtoward printing position, the same operation causing all plates inadvance thereof to be moved, one after another by va suitablespring-pressed pawl I1 carried by the feed bars I4, so that one afteranother of the printing ona support or anvil I3.

The platen-supporting mechanism comprises I a. pair of spaced frame arms20a. and 2IIb,.rig idly connected to the frame I0. Such arms may be anintegral part of the frame, or may be secured thereto by suitable bolts,not shown. These work or printing device D.

m nism, such as, for instance. an eccentric 3l, whichis driven by themotor M in timed relation with the eccentric I5, heretofore'described.The eccentric 3I is drivingly connected by a crank 32 with a pair oflevers, one of which is shown at 33 in Fig. 1, and both of which arepivotally mounted on a rod 34, supported by the frame I0. Each lever 33carries, on its upper end, a pin 35. These pins arearranged to beengaged by notches 36, formed at one end of respective links 31, theother end of which is pivotally connected as ,at 38 with a platencarriage C. Suitable springs 39 are interconnectedY between each link 31and its respective lever 33, and serve to normally maintain the linksconnected with their. levers, providing a. safety feature hereinafter tobe more fully described.

The platen comprises a .roller 4U, journalled. by suitable anti-frictionbea-rings 4I, on a. shaft 42, which is supported at either end of theroller,

by bushings 43, carried by respective links 44.

The platen is provided -with a segmental printing member or surfacecomposed of rubber or other suitable material 45. Y

The platen links 4 4 are pivotally connected to another pair of links 41by a suitable rod 48.

The links 41, in turn, are secured to a rock shaft 49, journalled insuitable bearings which have a universal connection with the platencarriage,

D hereinafter more'fully described, but which permit adjustment of theprinting pressure, as well --as adjustment of the transverse alignmentbetween the platen-contact'surface 45 with the 'I he platen shaft 42 isalso linked to a shaft 59, which is supported in suitable bearingsformed in the platen carriage C. As shown, this connection comprises apair of links 5I, one end .of each of which is xed to the shaft 50, andthe. other ends of which 'are pivotally connected to devices come torest Yaiogsea progressed one after the other from the bottom' the`platen-supporting bushings 43, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The platen is normally maintained in the pov v sition shown in Fig. 4,Where it will be noted that it is spaced some distance above thework-sheet W by a. torsion spring 55 encircling the shaft 50 and havingone end thereof, engaging the Y.64, rotatably mounted in the carriage C,as illussuch guide-rail.

carriage C and the other end connected as at' 56 (see Figs.- 3 and 6) toa suitablenut which f1s1ocked to the shaft 5o.

s heretofore mentioned, the platenrockshaft 49 is mounted in thecarriage by universal bearing units which, as shown in Fig. 2, comprisea pair of spaced sleeves or bushings' 59, in which the shaft isjournalled. Each sleeve is provided with a pin 60, arranged to occupy anaxially extending arcuate recess 6I, formed in the arms of respectiveyokes 62. Each yoke is provided with a stud 63, which threadinglyengages a. bushing trated in` Fig.

'I'his arrangement is such that consequent upon the turning of bothbushings 64, the platen will be raised and lowered as a. unit, orconsequent upon the turning of one bushing, one end of the platen may beraised or lowered relative to the other end. Thus the platen is readilyadjusted.

Suitable locking nuts threadngly coact with.

the respective bushings 64 and may be readily tightened to maintain theplaten in its adjusted position relative to the printing devicesupported on the anvil I3.

'As heretofore mentioned, vthe carriage slides along rails 30, which arecarried by respective frame arms 20a and 20h. As illustrated in Figs. 2and 5, the carnage is provided at either side thereof with a pair ofspaced rollers 66 arranged to engage, the lower face of a guide-rail 30,and a roller 61 arranged to engage the upper face of The guide-railsextend along the 4-fraine arms, as indicated in FigL-l, and arepreferably pivotally connected therewith at their rearmost ends bysuitable screws 68. The forward endsof theserails may be individuallyraised or lowered by eccentric adjusting members 10, and clamped in anadjusted position by clamping screws 1I. 'Ihese adjusting members andclamping screws pass through suitable slots in their respective guiderails and engage respective frame arms.

The platen, in its retracted position, is normally some distance abovethe 'work sheet. When, however, it moves toward the right, to theposition indicated in Fig. 1, the foremost rollers 66 of the platencarriage engage, as shown in Fig. 8, cam surfaces 12 of respective links13 pivoted as at 14 to their respective-guide-rails 30. This engagementrocks the links 13 in a counterclockwise direction against the action oftension springs 15. Continued-forward movement of the platen carriagecauses the ends 16 ofthe rod 48 to engage notches 11 formed at the endsof the respectivelinks 13.

rIhe contact between the walls of the notches 11 and the rod 48 causesthe forward movement of the rod to be retarded, whereupon the links 44,41 and-5I are rocked about their respective pivots into the positionsindicated in Figs. 7 and 3. 4This causes" the platen to be lowered intocontact with the work W, superimposed above an inking ribbon R whichoverlies the printing device D supported by the anvil I3, therebycausing the platen to engage the work with printing pressure.

It be noted that when the platen is in the position shown 'in Fig. 3,the upper end of the The platen assumes the position illustrated in Fig.3, when it reaches the end of the righthand stroke (Fig. 1) whereuponthe platen carriage is drawn to the rear by the operating mechanism,heretofore described, to effect the printing.

It will be noted that while the platen is being moved rearwardly, thespring 55 acts to maintain`the links 44 and 41 in the position indicatedin Fig. 3, thus making, in effect, a straightened toggle. `As the platencarriage is drawn rearwardly by w the links 31, the platen roller ispositively rotated independent of the frictional contact between theplaten and the work sheet to insure proper rolling action at all times,regardless of variations in frictional contact. between the `work andplaten, due to a varied number of printing characters. Forthis purpose,it will be noted, that the platen-supporting arm 23h is provided on itsundersurface -with a rack 89, arrangedto be constantly engaged by a gear90, rotatably mounted on the shaft 53, which, as

heretofore mentioned, is vcarried in a xed axis relative to the platencarriage C.

As shown in Fig. 6, the gear 9U is drivingly secured to .a bushing 9|,rotatably mounted on the shaft 50. Likewise secured to the bushing 9| isa pinion 92, arranged to constantly engage a gear`93, rigidly xed asshown in Fig. 2, to the platen roller` 40.- The arrangement of thisgearing is such as to cause the platen roller to engage the work sheetat all times with a perfect rolling action.

The roller. 48, as heretofore mentioned, is provided with a segmentalplaten surface member 45, and is so arranged that the platen shaft 42may be readily withdrawn, permitting this segmental surface to beadjusted angularly about y the axis of the platen. This adjustmentpermits the platento selectively arranged to print as many lines L ofprinting characters as may be desired, thearrangement being such thatthe foremost edge 85 of the platen member 45 will engage the rst 'lineof characters of the printing device desired to be printed'. Forexample, in

Fig. 3 the platen has been set to first engage the' Asecond line ofcharacters from the left, hence, as

there shown, the last. threelines .will be printed and the rst lineomitted. As illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the left-hand end of theplaten shaft 42 is provided with a printing device knurled knob`8S,which may be grasped to slide the platen shaft to the left (Fig. 2)freeing the..

platen fromv the carriage C, and permitting it to be rotated `relativeto its 'driving Ygear 92, thereby determining which line of charactersofthe Will be rst contacted by the platen.

The platen shaft is normally maintained in. the position illustrated inFig. 2, by a latch arm 91, which is pivotally mounted on the bushing 9|,heretofore described, and is provided with a slotted opening,illustrated in Fig. 4, arranged to engage a reduced portion 99 of theplaten shaft 42, thereby normally preventing removal of thev ting thehante be readily withdrawn by the provide a pair of abutments IM and IM,carn'ed by the respective frame arms 20a and 20h, and arranged to engagerespective ends 15 of the rod 48, when the platen reaches the rear-mostedge of the printing plate.

tarily stopped and the rearward movement of the whereupon; continuedrearward movement of the rod is momenplaten ca-rriage C causes th'elinkage 43 and 41 and 5| to swing the platen from the position shown inFig. 3 into the position shown in Fig. 4. When so raised,'the shaft ends16 are free to moveto the left, as they are clear of the stops |80 andll. Y

The upward movement of the platen is stopped by the engagement of aspacing sleeve |92, carried by the rod148, with suitable abutments |03formed in the front wall of the carriage C.

As heretcfore mentioned, the platen may be moved so 'as to skip thefirst line, the first two lines, or the first three lines, etc. ofcharacters on the printing device. The arrangement of Ythe stops |00 andIBI is such that they-may be adjusted so as to cause the platen to beraised from the printing plate at d''erent points. Thus, they may be sofixed as to cause the platen `to be raised from the printing plate afterit hasmade an impression of any predetermined number of adjacent lines,as, for instance, the middle two I haye so arranged the platen mechanismthat Vshould the operators lingers, or any. unusually thick article liebeneath the roller platen, while it is being urged downwardly to engagethe work sheet with printing pressure, the platen will beA disconnectedfrom its driving mechanism, thereby preventing injury to the person ofthe operator or damage to the parts of the mechanism. Such mechanismcomprises the pin and slot connectiens 35, 36, between theplaten-driving arms 33 Aand the links 31. It will be noted that therearmost surfaces (Fig. 1) of the notches 36, are substantially normalor at right angles to the direction of reciprocation of the links-31,whereas Ythe foremost walls of the notches 36 are sloped,

cation of the links.

I have found that a very small amount of power is required to move theplaten forwardly, that is, to the right in Fig. 1, and cause it toengage the work with printing pressure, whereas a greater amount ofpower isrrequiredto roll it Vacross the work. Therefore the slopingwalls of the notches 36 provide suflicient contact between the pins andlinks to enable the platen to be readily moved forwardly and downwardlyto engage the work. However, if an obstruction is placed between theplaten and the work sheet, the tension of the springs 3S will beovercome and the sloping front walls will cam the out of engagement withtheir respective pins 35, thereby breaking the power-driving connectionto the platen. Thereafter, on the return stroke of the Operating a'rmsthat set at an angle to the direction of recipro-Y notchesJG, and, byreason of thev abrupt wall forming the'rear of such notches, will becomere-- for supporting a form. a

with the form, a carriage mounted in said guideto said frame andextending above and parallel means toact as a shockabsorber and move thelinksmfg Pair into alignment with the links means tosupport afonn, ameans-Iorguidingitparallelwiththefoms `of the other pair'to cause theplaten'to coact with shaft, a roller platen carried thereby. "un 'pairslsaidform. Y of toggle links respectively thevplatm f2.1m.printingmachine,a:machiningmcsms- A snare with the carriage, a anthe engaged to' the links 31 and thus return the way forreciprocationinaplane parallelwithsaid platen idly to its rear position,so that the maform, a shaft rotatably supported in vsaid car- 5. chineVis ready for norm'aloperation on the suc riage, a pair of linkssecuredvto said shaft, a v ceeding stroke. Y second pair of linkspivotedto the Erst-named "If desired, the platen shaft 42 may also carrylinks respectively and spaced apart from each. acoaxial supplementalplatenvfor printing dates, other, a second shaft removably jour-nailedin the lo numbers, etc.,'from an-impression member addllast-named pairof links; asegmentalroller platen 10i tional to the printing plates.Such supplemental coaxial with and rotatably supported on said'` platenis shown at H0 in Figs. 2 and 6, 'being 1ast-namedshaft,resilientmeansnormallyfacting equipped with roller bearings embracing the shaft toretain said links out of alignment withv each 62. This supplementalplaten is of slightly other and thereby maintainthe platen cutie!smaller radius than the segment 45 of the main contact withsaidY form,athird of pir-U15 platen, so that it may cooperate with a printotallyconnected to the platen s hatand to: said ing member Yl Il mounted -onthe bed of the ma-V carriage, to guide the movement of the platen, chineat somewhat higher elevation than the means to move the mst-named pairof links into f printingV plate. alignment with each other, therebycausing the It will be understood from the description given platen tocoact with said form- 20, of this machine that the entire platen mecha-3. In aprinting machine, thecombination with nism iscarried by xed rigidframe arms which means to support a form, of a. guideway extendmayreadilybe made with suicient stiffness to ing in a plane substantiallyparallel with said prevent any yielding action from the platen presformand thereabove, a carriage, reciproeably sure; likewise these arms havesucient area. mounted in said guideway, a` roller platen, a pair 25.

of contact with the main frame to prevent any of toggle links connectedto said and yielding at their attachment to the main frame. said platenrespectiveLv, means to reciprocate By employing two spaced "arms an openspace is said carriage, a member pivoted to said guidewa'y providedwhich may act as a magazine' for the 'and acting consequent uponthe'approaeh of the 80 stack of address plates or may receive a separatelimit of movement of the carriage in onedirec- 3o magazine, if desired.l tion to cause the platen to engage a work sheet, It will also beobserved that the platen is. moved and -means for yieldingly holdingsaidmember from its idle position down into active position whereby itmay act-as a shock-absorber. so gradually that the force-required is 4,In a printingY machine, the cdmbiatiomof When in active position, theplaten is positively a Yframe having means for supporting a form. on.-35 rotated on the printing stroke, avoiding possibility such frame, anarm tixedly secured to said frame,

of slippage-between it and'the printing plate. a platencarriage mountedon said ann for; re The platen may be readily reset to start itsprintciprocation 'in a plane substantially parallel with ing 'at anyline of Vthe plate and when reset the said form, a rotatableaplatenmovahly mounted 40 position is positively insured by the gearing deinsaid carriage for moyement to andY from said w scribed.v Also thestoppage of the printing enform, means to reciprocate -the carriage,means gagement of the platenat any desired point is acting consequent ofreciprocation of tl1e car readily and deinitely eilected. By'reason oftheV riage tofmove the platen toward and away from mechanism whichutilized to adjust the bethe form, a'rack carried by said guideway.;gearginning and ending of the printing-stroke of the ing,interconnecting 'said platen andi-ack to ro- 5 A platen, it isimmaterial it the actual travel tate said platen when in contactwith-the form. `of the platenl in either direction exceeds that 5.' Inaprinting machine, the combination of required to make the impression.Finally, it may means for supporting a forni, a stationary guidebe-noted that the adjustments provided enable way spaced above said form,a carriage mounted 4the platen to be accurately positioned with refinsaid guideway, a roller platen, a pair of toggle .50

.erence to the plane of the printing member and links connected to saidcarriage and platen;

raisedor lowered to eilect the desired pressure. respectively, means t0move Siiinks t0 c5115@ and enable the maintenance of this same prestheplaten to move into and out of contact with sure throughout theentlrecourse of the irolling work-superimposed 0n Asaid form. a stationaryaction. f" rack'gearing connecting therackand platen and 55 Iclaim: Q joperative irrespective of thepositionofthelinks ll. In a printingmachine, means ior supportand means to move the carriageinthe guidewey'ing' a. form, a `guideway extending above and to cause the platen toroll across said form. Vparallel with said form, a carriage reciprocably6. In a printing machineI the combination of mounted -in` said guidewayfor movement in a means for supporting a fomastatioqaryarm.. directionina plane parallel with-said form, a 'a carriage recipfocable on the arm,a Yroller pair of links plvotally connected to the carriage, Plten, 8'.pof'toagle links Golm the ,a second pair of-unks pivcted tothenrst-named platen with carriage, a third pdr of link linksrespectiyely and spaced apart from each [each plvoted to the platenattire axis thereof 35 other, a shaft jornalled i.n the last-named pair'and to the carriage, a'stationary rack of links, a roller platenrotatably supported on by the arm, and a. trainer gearing Vsaid shaft,resilient means normally acting to the andv platen and including n gear'ooretainsaidlinksoutoialignmentwitheachother' axial wlththel'livotoftl'lethirdlink'tothecai.F and thereby maintain theplaten out-ofcontact v, c. with the form'; and periodically acting yielding "LInaprintingmachinisthewith mf in thedirection to lower the platen andagainst carriage, two links connecting said shaft with the platen shaft,a stationary rack and a gear train connecting it with the platen,

8. In a printing machine, the combination of means for supporting aprinting form, a stationary arm, a reciprocable carriage mounted on thearm, a roller platen, toggles connecting the platen with the carriagemeans for straightening the toggles at the end of the stroke of thecarriage to lower the platen to activeposition, means for reciprocatingthe carriage including a member and a driven member normally retained inengagement with each other by a spring adapted to yield and allow Atheoperating member to clear the operated member in case of obstruction tothe'depression of 'the platen, said engagement. of the driving memberwith the driven member being against an inclined surface an abruptsurface in the direction to raise the platen, whereby notwithstandingseparation the parts will be automatically restored on the return strokeof the operating mechanism.

9. In a series printing machine, the combination of means for supportingprinting devices one at a time in printing position, a stationarymember, a Vroller platen carried by said stationary member Aforreciprocationv in a plane 4parallel with the printing device inprinting. position and movable toward and away from the plane of saiddevice,means acting consequent upon reciprocation of said platen to movethe platen toward and away from work superimposed on said device, "andcontrol means for causing the same line ot the platen to coact with thesame line of the printing device on successive impressions.

10. In a printing machine, the combination of a frame having means forsupporting a form, a rigid arm, rigidly secured to said frame at one endof'the arm and having a projecting portion with a free end to provide axed guideway extending lengthwise of the projection spaced above theform, a platen carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocation in aplane substantially parallel with the plane of said form, a platenmounted in said carriage for movement to and from said form, means toreciprocate the carriage, and meansA acting consequent on thereciprocation of said carriage to move the platen toward and from theform. l

11. In a printing machine, the combination of meansor supporting a form,a stationary guideway spaced above said form, a carriage mounted in saidguideway, a roller platen, a pair of toggle links interconnected by apivot pin and connected to said carriage and said platen' respectively,and provided with abutting surfacesar-l ranged to receive the thrustwhen the linksare' aligned, means adapted vto engage thepivot pin ofsaid links toY move said links and thereby cause the platen to moveinto. and out of contact with work' superimposed on said form, and meansto move the carriage along the guideway to cause the platen to rollacross said form.

12. In a printing machine, the combination` with means to support aform, of .a guideway, a carriage mounted in said guideway forreciprocation in a plane 'substantially parallel with the surface ofsaid form, a roller platen, a pair of interconnected togglelinksconnected to said carriage and platen respectively, means toreciprocate said carriage, means acting consequent upon the approach ofthe limit of movement of the carriage in one direction to cause theplaten toengage a work sheet superimposed on said form, and means actingconsequent upon the movement of the platen in the other direction tocause the platen to be rolled across said form, means acting consequentupon the platen arriving at a variably positioned predetermined pointrelative to the formduring its movement in the last-named direction tocause the platen to be raised clear of the form, and control means "forcausing the same line of the platen to coact with the same line of theprinting device on successive impressions.

13. In a printing machine, the combination of ,means ior supportingprinting plates, a reciprocable carriage, a roller platen carried by thecarriage adapted to coact with a printing plate in printing position orbe free therefrom, means acting on one stroke of the carriage to lowerthe platen to active position and on another stroke to raise the .platento idle position, means for reciprocating the carriage including anoperating member and an operated member, and a spring for normallyholding them in operating engagement, whereby said members are normallydrivingly connected by the operating member and may move independentlyin case of abnormal resistance to the movement of the operated member.14. In a printing machine, the combination of a frame, two rigid armsrigidly secured to the frame and spaced apart and rising therefrom thenextending substantially parallel with the top of the frame, said armsbeing hollow on their inner faces, a horizontal guide strip carried byeach arm within the hollow space, a platen carriage having outwardlyprojecting studs carrying rollers which engage the upper and underfacesof-said guide strips, and a magazine for address plates between the armsfrom which the lowermost plate in the magazine may be discharged in a.direction lengthwise of the arms.

15. A printing machine having means for supporting a form and atraveling segmental platen adapted to coact with the form, an adjustablestop for the platen adapted to be set for a predetermined selected lineon the form, and means for controlling the platen to cause the same linethereof to coact with the same line of the form for'any given setting ofthe stop.

16. A printing machine having means for supporting the form, areciprocating carriage, a platen, toggle links connecting the platen andcarriage, and gearing eiective to drive the platen regardless of theposition of the platen or its toggle links. l

17. A printing machine having means to support the form and a rigidsupport above the form, a rack on said rigid support, a carriage movableon the rigid support, a platen connected with the carriage. by togglelinks, and gearing connecting the rackl with the platen. J

18. A series printing machine having means to support a form and astationary arm on which a carriage is reciprocably mounted, the carriageVhaving connected thereto a pair of toggle links which support a rollerplaten anda third link interconnected between the platen axis and thecarriage to guide the' movement of .the platen resulting from theoperationof the toggle due cluding a gear coaxial withthe pivotalconnection betwen the third link and the carriage and a gear coaxialwith the platen.

19. The combination, with means for support- Y ing a of a stationaryplaten 'su'ppoit.'` a eara frame having means for supporting a form, a

pair of arms above the frame and free therefrom.I 'atv their forwardends and having their rear ends depending and attached to the frame','

said'arms being spaced apart to allowiorms to Y be ied successivelybetween them, a platen car-.-

riage mounted on said arms for reciprocation in a plane parallel withthe surface ci the form,- a. platen carried by said carriage formovement to and from said form. and means acting consequent upon themovement of the carriage in one direction t'o move the platen vintoprinting coactionwith the form.

21. In a printing nmchine, the combination 'of means for supporting' a;form, -a stationary guideway spaced above said forni, a carriage mountedin said guideway, a .roller platen, -a pair of toggle links connectedtogether and at their free ends connected/directly to said carriage, andto the platen axes. respectively, the interconnected portions of thetoggle links havingabuttingsuriaces arrangedtocoactwitheachotherwhenthetoggle is straightened to transmit theprinting pressure directly fromone link to the other,

means to move said links to cause the platen to move into and ont ofcontact with work superimposed on said iorm, and means to move thecarriage inthe Vguideway to cause the platen to` roll across said form.

22. A series printing machine having means for sulporting printingdevices one at a time in a printing position, and a stationary framesup-v porting a travelingvproller platen for reciprocation in a planeparallel with a printing device in printing position, toggle links saidplatenand control means governing the rotation of the platen to cause apredetermined linel on the platen-to come into engagement with thoselines of ve printing devices which lie in the same predeterminedposition in the machine.

' CARL J. HUEBER.

